Sarah
Last night when Sarah had finally emerged from the bathroom, she was surprised to see Monica already passed out in bed. Her stomach had turned a bit when she heard Valerie talking out on the patio still but then was relieved when she realized she was on the phone—with Alex. Sarah tried not to eavesdrop, but from the little she heard, their conversation wasn’t quite as sweet and satisfying as hers and Angel’s had been. Valerie sounded a little mad. Still, when Valerie walked back into the room and closed the patio door, Sarah could see she was smiling. Whatever Alex had said to her had her smiling once again. Somehow Sarah knew it would be a long time if ever that Valerie would give up on the guy.
Wanting Angel’s words to be the last she went to bed thinking about, Sarah had feigned the sleep of death when Valerie climbed in bed next to her. The next morning Sarah woke to a text from Angel.
Forever and always, baby. I love you. Be careful today! I’ll talk to you tonight.
That simple text had snapped Sarah out of the funk she was in for having taken off to Havasu on such a whim. It helped shake off what was left of the guilt she’d gone to bed feeling. She texted him back just as sweetly, telling him how much she missed and loved him then sighed in relief that he didn’t appear to be mad anymore.
She and the girls got up, showered, and went to breakfast. The lake was already bustling with Jet skis and every size and shape of boat imaginable. Most of them had bikini-clad girls either lying out on them or dancing and waving cups in the air—cups likely filled with alcohol even that early in the day.
Valerie had mentioned during breakfast what she referred to as Alex’s lame excuse for the photos with girls on his lap. It was the same as all the other times she’d questioned any photo she saw of him with one or more whores hanging on him.
“They’re not dudes. I can’t just physically push them off me.”
“In other words,” she said with a roll of her eyes, “he has no control over these girls who insist on sitting all over him or wrapping their bodies around him. It’s funny how guys like Angel and some of the other ones on the team in committed relationships don’t seem to have a problem with keeping the girls off them.”
“But you two are not in a committed relationship,” Sarah reminded her. “And you keep saying you’re okay with that. Remember?”
Valerie had stuffed her mouth with a forkful of pancake, and the conversation had ended there.
~~~
Now they were strolling down the lake shore where there were more and more boats docking into the lake.
“We have to find a way to get on one of those boats,” Monica said.
“I don’t know,” Valerie said, staring out onto the crowded lake. “Maybe we should just find a place to lie out and get a tan.”
Yes!
Whatever else Alex had said to Valerie last night and even this morning when Sarah saw her reading her texts and smiling silly had obviously changed her mind about how hard she’d party or how crazy she’d get today. Before Valerie had spoken with Alex last night, she was all for getting out today and making the most of their weekend. Sarah had planned on sticking to her guns and not getting talked into doing anything that might upset Angel, but she was also mindful of the promise she’d made of not being a dud.
“I’m all for working on our tans,” she said casually, looking around for an open space on the shore where they could lie out.
Valerie turned to her with a scowl. “How do you intend to do that when you’re all covered up?”
Sarah glanced down at her tankini, which covered her entire midriff. She’d brought another much more revealing bikini with her, but she decided that morning it didn’t feel right to wear it, given what a meat market this place was. She’d also wrapped a long sarong around her waist that went down to her ankles on the long side. It was still sexy because the other side exposed her leg all the way up to her tankini bottom. “I’m not all covered up,” she countered. “I’d take the sarong off, and I can push the tank up a little to get some sun on my middle.”
Her top did have a rather plunging neckline so her cleavage would be getting plenty of sun.
“Heads up!” Someone yelled from behind them and instinctively Sarah’s arms flew up to cover her head.
Valerie ducked into Sarah as a football flew by, narrowly missing Monica’s face, and fell near Valerie, rolling away a bit. A shirtless guy with a fabulous tan and chiseled abs ran up to them apologizing. “I’m sorry,” he said to Monica first then turned to Valerie and Sarah. “You guys okay? No one got hit, right?”
Another two guys walked up to them. “My bad,” one of the taller guys with equally impressive abs said with a big smile. “I give this guy too much credit. I should’ve known he’d miss that.”
Sarah did her best to smile as casually as Valerie but refused to smile as brightly as Monica. “You missed my head by an inch,” Monica said and the lashes were aflutter.
“Sorry about that,” the tall one said then added, “I’m Paul by the way.”
“I’m Graham,” said the guy who’d first approached them and since picked up the ball, bouncing it between hands now.
“I’m Edmund,” the third guy and only one holding a cup said, smiling, then winked at Sarah as he took a swig of whatever it was he was drinking. “Where you ladies headed today?”
“Not sure,” Monica spoke up quickly. “It’s our first full day here but also our last, so we’d like to make the most of it.” She turned toward the lake, shielding her eyes from the sun with her hand. “It’d be nice to get out on the water, but we don’t have a boat or Jet skis.”
All three guys smiled instantly. “You’re in luck, ladies,” Edmund said, “because we have both.”
Monica smiled brightly, looking at Valerie first then Sarah. Sarah clutched nervously at the strap of her beach bag, which hung over her shoulder.
“See that pontoon over there.” Edmund pointed at the huge blue party boat like so many out on the lake. There were other people already on it including dancing girls in teeny tiny bikinis. “That’s this guy’s boat,” he said pointing at Paul. “We’re headed out now. You’re welcome to come along. We have plenty of food and drink.”
Valerie turned to Sarah and shrugged with a smirk. It was obvious that Monica was already squealing inwardly. Sarah was glad she was wearing her sunglasses or they’d see the utter dread she was feeling. How the hell was she getting out of this? Edmund was already smiling at her a bit too friendly for her liking.
“Sure, sounds like fun,” Valerie said, and they all started slowly through the crowd toward the massive party boat. “You guys staying out all day?”
“All day,” Edmund said again, looking back at Sarah with a sly smirk. “We go way out then park in one of the coves and just hang out. So far out you girls can sunbathe topless—or even less—if you want.” Sarah and Valerie exchanged glances as Sarah’s stomach took another dive. “We tow the Jet skis with us so everyone takes turns or pairs up with someone and takes them out.”
Sarah didn’t even realize she was tugging at her beach bag again until Edmund turned to her and reached out. “Let me carry that for you, sweetness,” he said. “Is it getting heavy?”
“No,” she said nodding and grabbing on to her bag a little tighter.
Nervously, she lifted her glasses to the top of her head, instantly regretting it when she saw Edmund’s eyes go wide and his mouth open in a wide smile. “Wow, those eyes,” he said, staring at her.
The other two guys turned to look at her including Valerie. Like an idiot, she dropped the glasses back over her eyes, not wanting him to think she’d lifted them on purpose.
“Too bright,” she said, feeling her cheeks warm.
“No, wait, wait.” Edmund held his hand out. “Lift them up.” He turned to his friends. “Paul, check out her eyes.”
To Sarah’s horror, they’d all stopped walking and waited on her to lift her glasses. Even a few of the guys walking by who’d heard Edmund making such a big deal seemed to be waiting. Sarah lifted them quickly and saw Paul’s smile just fall.
Feeling her face on fire now, she dropped the glasses again, wishing they covered her entire face. Her mind raced to think of a way to get out of getting on that boat, especially now that both Edmund and Paul were looking at her the way they were. The second Paul turned away Edmund leaned in and whispered, “His ex has eyes like yours.” He chuckled. “Only yours pop out more because your hair and lashes are so dark. It’s not often you see eyes like yours on a brunette.”
He went on a little more about her eyes, but Sarah tuned him out. She watched as Valerie and Monica started taking off the shorts and sarong each wore over their bikini bottoms because it was time to walk out onto the enormous boat with the blasting music. Sarah lifted her glasses to the top of her head again, wondering if she should just stick them in her bag. She didn’t want to chance losing them if they fell in the water.
“Take off your sarong, Sarah,” Valerie said as she shoved her own in her bag. “We’re gonna be hip deep in water by the time we make it out to the boat.”
Looking around, Sarah gulped. She had her hotel key. She could say she wasn’t feeling well and head back on her own.
No fuddy-duddies.
“Yeah, take it off.” Edmund grinned.
With her stomach in a ball, she took her sweet time, putting her glasses in her bag, and then slowly started to untie the sarong knot at her waist.
Suddenly, she felt two big arms around her waist from behind, and she gasped, nearly losing her balance.
“Hey, baby girl, I’ve been looking for you.”
She turned to see Leonardo smiling. He pulled one arm away but kept a hand on her waist. Leaning into her ear, he whispered. “Something wrong? You look uncomfortable.”
She nodded but kept working on the knot, not wanting to look at Valerie. If Leonardo had picked up on her uneasy demeanor, no doubt her cousin would too.
Leonardo pulled her to him a little closer. Sarah thought Angel’s glares were intense, but Sofia had hit her observation of her brother on the nose. Leonardo’s glare bordered on scary. “What is it? These guys bothering—”
“No, no,” she said quickly, feeling the need to touch his arm. “Nothing like that. We just met them,” she whispered, turning her back to Valerie, Monica, and other guys. “They seem nice enough. I just . . . I don’t think Angel would be thrilled about me getting on this boat with them, and—”
“So don’t,” he said, taking her bag with authority, then looked up behind her. “We’ll catch up. I have a Jet ski.”
“Sarah, are you sure?” Valerie asked, her voice going high.
Obviously she didn’t recognize Leo from the photo she’d showed her weeks ago. Sarah turned to face her cousin, feeling a sudden enormous relief that she wouldn’t be getting on the boat. “Yes, this is Leonardo.”
Valerie’s expression eased instantly. “Oh,” she said then smiled and addressed Leonardo. “Are you sure you’ll be able to find the boat?”
Leonardo assured her they would, though Sarah didn’t care if they did or not. In fact, she preferred it if they didn’t. She had no desire to be on that party boat and sit out in a deserted cove somewhere then take turns going out on a Jet ski with one of those guys. Worst case scenario, she’d meet Valerie and Monica back at the hotel later that night. But telling Angel she’d spent her day with her brother beat telling him she’d jumped on a boat full of booze and guys they’d just met.
Hanging out with her brother would definitely be easier for Angel to hear about when she told him tonight about her day rather than the alternative.
“You know,” Leonardo said, tossing her bag effortlessly over his big shoulder as they walked away from the shore. “You’re the only one who calls me Leonardo. Everyone else calls me Leo.”
“But Leonardo sounds so much better,” she said. “I like it.”
That murderous glare he’d worn just moments ago was replaced with that soft somewhat vulnerable smile she’d seen on him during their chats on more than one occasion now. It was a sweet smile so opposite of what you’d expect to see on such a fierce-looking guy like him. “I like hearing you say it.”
~*~
Angel
“This is bullshit,” Alex said shoving the last piece of sushi in his mouth. “We come all the way to Hawaii, and this is the most we get to see of the place outside our hotel and that fucking football field?”
“At least the food was good,” Angel offered, sitting back and looking out into the herd of people walking the beach. “And it’s not like we paid for this vacation turned nightmare. Just think of it as hell week in Hawaii.”
They were in between their torturous two practices scheduled for that day. The coach let them all go back to the hotel for a few hours to rest and grab something to eat. Then they’d be back on the field again for practice number two. This was the first moment they’d had to get out and see a little of the nearby beach since that first night they screwed up so bad.
The practices the coaches were putting them through weren’t regular practices either. He was having them run the most unforgiving drills. No doubt he was hoping to tire them all out to the point none would even consider going out to party tonight when it was all over. All Angel and Alex could think of then was getting back to the room and passing out.
“Have you talked to Sarah today?” Alex asked, frowning down at his phone screen.
“No,” Angel said, pulling his own phone out of his pocket. “I texted her this morning, and she texted me back but that’s the last I heard.”
“Have you seen what Valerie’s been posting?”
Angel couldn’t help frowning. “Posting where? I haven’t been able to get onto my Facebook page in weeks.”
Not that he’d tried much. He’d always thought Facebook such an annoying waste of time and something he’d never really gotten into.
“Hmm,” Alex said, nodding. “Then you haven’t.”
He waited for Alex to elaborate a bit more on that because he really didn’t want to ask. He was almost afraid to. He knew Alex wouldn’t even be mentioning it unless it had something to do with Sarah. Angel stared at his brother as Alex continued to stare down at his phone. He nearly burned hole through that big brick head of Alex’s and nothing.
“What’s she posting, Alex?” Angel finally asked almost through his teeth.
Alex glanced up at him finally. “Pictures of Havasu. I was surprised when she mentioned Sarah was there with her, but then”—he chuckled looking back down at his phone—“I guess after Sarah heard about Friday night I can see why she took off.”
“That’s not why she did,” Angel said, not sure why he needed to make that clear.
“Oh yeah?” Alex asked, sounding completely unimpressed and still not looking up from his phone. “Well, good thing for you she didn’t because the place looks just like I remember it. Everyone there’s getting laid tonight.”
Angel glanced up and waved the waitress down. He wasn’t having this conversation with Alex. He’d overheard some of what he and Valerie had talked about last night. From what he could make out, Valerie wasn’t convinced that Alex had really gone back to his room alone Friday night. So it didn’t surprise him that he might be thinking the same about her. But Angel knew better. That wasn’t something he’d even consider worrying about when it came to Sarah.
The young waitress came over, and Angel asked for the check. She was in the middle of asking if they’d be ordering any dessert to which Angel was already saying no to when he heard Alex say something about Leo and Sarah. The waitress nodded, leaving the check at the table and walked away. Angel narrowed his eyes on Alex, who held up his phone to Angel.
“At least with her brother there she’s got someone looking out for her,” Alex said.
Angel reached out and took Alex’s phone. Valerie had posted several photos under the caption “Hot in Havasu.”
Among them there were plenty of girls in bikinis on a boat surrounded by shirtless guys all flexing their arms and holding up whatever they were drinking. He searched for Sarah or even Leo in the crowd but didn’t see either.
He looked up at Alex a little annoyed that he’d managed to get him worked up for nothing. “Where?”
“Scroll through them,” Alex said. “She’s in there somewhere on a Jet ski.”
Just as Alex said it, Angel froze, staring at the photo of Sarah sitting behind Leo on a Jet ski. Except for the life jacket he wore, Leo appeared to be shirtless. Just like all the other guys partying with them. Just like the photo he’d sent Sarah weeks ago. Angel scrolled to the next photos that appeared to be taken consecutively as Leo and Sarah spun around doing donuts in the water. Sarah’s arms hugged Leo tightly. Her entire body pressed against his back as she held on for dear life with a scrunched up but still smiling face.
Angel reasoned with his already thudding heart that this was her brother. They’d already established he was a good guy, so why hadn’t she mentioned he was there? Had she invited him? Did she maybe think Angel would be upset and so she decided to not mention it?
She wouldn’t, not after everything they’d been through in the past about omitting the truth for the sake of unpleasantness. He scrolled through the photos, searching for more with her in them, his heart bracing himself to see her in even one photo with any dude looking too friendly or standing a little too close to her. It was even more infuriating now to think of the photos she’d had to see of him and Dana and some of those other pushy chicks wrapped around him, because if he saw even one as remotely close to that with her and another guy he was going to blow a fuse. Hell, the ones with her and her brother already had him seeing red when he knew they shouldn’t.
After scrolling a little more, Angel saw that the only other photos of Sarah, aside from the one of her on the Jet ski with Leo, were ones that appeared to be taken another time—possibly the night before because it was darker and all three girls were dry and obviously dressed differently. While there were some with Valerie and that other girl with other guys, Sarah was in none of those. Clearly, she wasn’t as stupid as he was to get caught up in compromising photos.
“I think you’ve stared at those long enough,” Alex said as he stood up.
Angel glanced up to see the receipt on the table. He’d been so caught up looking through all the photos he hadn’t even noticed the waitress had come by and picked up Alex’s card and he’d already paid and signed.
Standing up, he handed Alex’s phone back to him and hit speed dial on his own as they walked out together. Not surprising, Sarah’s phone went to voice mail. He almost didn’t leave a message but decided to at the last second. “Sarah, it’s me. I’m between practices.” He paused for a moment, thinking he should just tell her he loved her, and he was hoping to talk to her but decided to ask what he really wanted to know. “How come you didn’t tell me Leo was in Havasu with you? I just saw the photos. Call me or text me when you can. I’ll be free for about another hour.”
“She didn’t tell you her brother was going?” Alex asked as they stopped and waited for the light to turn green for them to cross.
“She didn’t tell me she was going,” Angel admitted, “until last night when I talked to her after practice and I found out she was even there.”
Staring straight ahead, Angel didn’t want to see Alex’s expression. He was never sure what Alex would have to say. Would he be an antagonizing smartass or would he have something helpful to say? Not that Angel felt he needed any help, he just felt like venting. Seeing Sarah’s body wrapped around Leo had done something to him, though he knew it was unreasonable to be pissed. Bottom line is Sarah knew that while Angel was coming around she’d still only met the guy once. Her dad was still a mystery—a mystery Leo likely had the answers to—and that still didn’t sit well with Angel.
“So she did go out there because of what happened Friday night?” Alex asked though it wasn’t in his usual all-too-amused manner.
Still, Angel was already regretting having said anything. “Yeah, but not to piss me off. She said after hearing about it and seeing all the photos she needed a distraction.”
Now Alex laughed. “Well, she sure as hell got it. I doubt she’s thinking about those photos right now.”
The light turned green, and they started crossing the street. Angel had no intention of furthering the conversation, so he didn’t respond to that.
“So what?” Alex asked. “I’d think you’d be glad Leo’s out there with her.”
“He’s not like us with Sof, Alex.” Angel said, trying not to sound as irritated as just thinking about it made him. “She just met the guy when he showed up at the restaurant the other day.”
Alex actually stopped as they stepped onto the curb and looked at Angel wide-eyed. “That was the first time she met him ever?”
“Yeah.” Angel motioned for Alex’s dramatic ass to keep moving. “She’s been skyping with him and shit for weeks and emailing even longer, but meeting him in person? Yeah, that was the first time.”
They reached the hotel entrance but didn’t go in. Angel didn’t feel like going back up to his room yet, so he started for the sitting area just outside. Alex had already pulled his phone out again. Before Angel could sit down, Alex scoffed, shaking his head. “Okay, I see what you’re saying,” he said, sliding his finger over his phone screen a few times. “So this guy is technically Sarah’s brother, but he just met her a few days ago, and now he’s out in Havasu with his hands all over her wet body.”
“What?” Angel’s eyes were immediately on Alex’s phone.
Alex handed him the phone, and Angel took it, trying not to snatch it out of his hand. He felt like shoving Alex for nearly giving him a heart attack. The photos were of Sarah and Leo on the Jet ski again, only this time she was driving and he was sitting behind her. Yeah, his hands were around her waist, and in one of them where they looked to have stopped to pose for the photo, he rested his hand on her thigh, something that might’ve had Angel going nuts if Alex hadn’t made him think he’d be seeing something much worse. He should’ve known Alex’s take on Leo’s hands all over Sarah’s wet body would be an exaggeration.
The photo disappeared when the incoming call indicator flashed on Alex’s screen. The caller’s name was Pam. Angel handed it to Alex, thinking he might send it to voice mail; instead, he frowned. “I gotta take this.”
He stood up from where he’d sat down and walked away, leaving Angel there with thoughts of Sarah and Leo in Havasu. Already he could tell Alex was going to be onboard with the whole not trusting Leo issue, but unfortunately, hearing Alex say that Angel wasn’t being completely unreasonable about this and overly possessive for no reason wasn’t validation enough. He may as well ask Romero for his opinion.
Sitting down on the bench, he let his head fall back in exasperation. He wasn’t nuts. He knew this. Over the years, he’d gotten better at taming that part of him, the part that felt like punching any guy in the throat who so much as looked at Sarah the wrong way. But this was different. Maybe, just like Alex had suggested he have a man to man with Syd, Angel should also think about having one with Leo. Since he didn’t want to go hurting Sarah’s feelings about her dad falling off the face of the earth the moment he didn’t get what he’d obviously been after, he didn’t want to bring him up to her again. But maybe he could ask Leo privately—make it clear he still had his doubts, not just about her dad but Leo too.